Game apparatus



Sept 18 1923.

A. J. VONDERSLQOT GAME APPARATUS Filed 001;. 5, 1920 WIIIIIIII/I A W INVENTDR A. l. VUNDERELUT FIE. b

Patented Sept. 18, I923.

barren srares ear ARTHUR J. VONDERSLOOT, .QF SAII FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ear o GAME arrnnarns.

Application filed October 5, I920. Serial No. 414,802.

provide simple and inexpensive game apparatus, which may be placed upon the top of a table or other surface or may be sup ported on legs and embodies in its construction, a game board of the general nature of a pool or billiard table and game pieces which are similar-to pool or billiard balls, there being provided a plurality of peculiarly and 'novellyarranged pockets in which the game pieces are adapted to be placed by striking said pieces with acne and directing them 'into said pockets, the arrangement of the pockets'being such that skill and an element of chance enter into the placing of the balls v into the pockets.

Another object'of the invention is-to'provide game apparatus with which a great deal of amusement is provided for the players, there being other objects and features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description wherein I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification. In said drawings,'I have shown one form of the construction of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the inven 7 v Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through the entrance end of the pocket.

In one embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the drawings, there is provided a preferably rectangular game board 1, which, after the fashion of a pool or bil liard table, is constructed so as to be level and is preferably covered with green baize.

" The board is provided on opposite sides with walls 2 and 3, at oneend with a wall i and at its other end with inwardly directed and curved walls 5 and 6. -The inner ends of the walls 5 and (i are spaced from one another so as to provide an entrance opening 7 spaced inwardly fromthe adjacentedge of the table. Through this opening the game pieces 8 are rolled into position on the board. There may be provided a suitable spot or mark 9 at a point midway between and just in advance of the inner ends of said walls 5 and'G, which spot will designate the point at which the object game piece is to be placed. The game pieces 8 are pref erably in the nature of pool or billiard balls and maybe varied in color so as to add to the ornamental appearance of the apparatus. The walls 2, 3, 5, and 6 upon their inner v faces'are provided with angular resilient cushioning elements or strips 10, with which the game pieces or balls are adapted to con tact and rebound therefrom after the mannor of the balls on a pool or billiard table.

Atthe other end of the game board 1 are a plurality of pockets, or grooves 11 extending parallel to one another and longitudinally of the game board. A. vertical wall or board. 12 is extended transversely across the game board 1 at the forward ends of the grooves 11 and is provided with a plurality of notches or openings 13 which register with the respective grooves. These openings 13 are of suflicient size to permit the game pieces or balls to pass therethrough but are not so large as to permit this ac tion unless the balls are directed squarely into the openings. The size of these openings is determined according to the size of the balls, the purpose being 'to make it necessary to exercise considerable skill and accuracy in directing the balls through the openings and into said pockets or grooves. Suitable scoring members are marked upon the board ilQ-over the-respective openings therein and these numbers are arranged so that those having the greatest value or count score wins the game.

by special colors therefor.

towards the score are the most difficult to direct the balls or gamepieces into. For example, a ball properly directed according to the rules of the game, into the extreme left hand opening will count 5, whereas the ball directed into the center opening will have a greater count towards the score of the game. To make it more difficult to direct the balls into the openings, the side edges of the openings have strips of cush ioning material 14 between them, so that should a ballstrike near an edge of one of the openings, the ball will rebound therefrom and not be likely to pass through the opening and into one of the: pockets.

Various rules may be workedout for using the game apparatus of this invention,

but I, prefer to use a given number of balls or game pieces, for example, ten. 1 provide in addition to the game pieces 8 an object ball 15 which may be made distinctive This ball is placed just in front of the space between the two center pockets 11 upon a mark 16 provided for designating the point where said ball is to be placed. The other balls are placed one at a time upon the spot 9 ,and struck with a cue, not shown, so as to carom off the ball 15.

By following this rule,- it is necessary to strike the ball 15 with the cue ball before either the object ball or the one can he directed into the pockets so as to make a valid point towards the score. Each player will have, for example, ten shots and the one tallying the highest It will thus be seen that this game apparatus-proves exceptionally amusing, since in addition to the skill required, an element of chance enters into the playing of the game.

The grooves or pockets 11 are inclined towards the adjacent end of the board 1, where by the balls will readily roll into and remain in the pockets. There may be provided a spirit level A in the upper side (if the member 12 whereby the board may be easily made to sit in level position. The lower side of the board has four vertically adjustable legs 13 which provide for levelling of the board when supported upon an uneven surface.

I claim I 7 Game apparatus embodying in its construction a game board game piece retaining walls extending along the edges of the board,

said board having at one end a downwardly offset portionformed with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves, each of which is curved in cross section and is disposed below the level of the game board proper, a transversely disposed member extending across the board at the forward edge of and upon the opposite portion thereof having openings therein registering with the forward ends of the respective grooves,

game pieces movable upon said board so as to be directed thru the 'openi'ngs and into the grooves and walls extending from the corners of theboard opposite the end there of having grooves and curved inwardly to- 7 0 wards the center of the board, the ends of said walls being spaced apart and cushioning material mounted on the transversely disposed member at the margin of the openings therein.

ARTHUR J. VONDERSLOOT. 

